Viking Heritage 1-2002

VV king king HeritageHeritagemagazine 1/2002 DESTINATION DESTINATION VIKING VIKING NORTH SEA BALTIC SEA Viking Heritage Magazine 1/02 IN THIS ISSUE Glimpses of Viking-Age women in runic Editorial inscriptions 3–6 Here at Viking Heritage we often get the question "What was the Freyja – a goddess of love and war 7–8 role of women in the Viking Age?" This is not surprising, because Images of Women and Femininity on when studying the Vikings usually only men are seen; the strong, Gotlandic Picture Stones 9–11 wild seafarers and warriors remain at the forefront. But half of the Report from the Viking Project in Ale population, the women, are harder to catch a glimpse of, their County, Sweden 11 conditions of life are in shadow. In this first issue of the year, we Where have all the Vikings gone… are happy to present you with some very interesting articles that CCC-Paper 12–14 will discuss and shed some light in these otherwise quite hidden The woman on the wagon – Pagan corners of the Viking Age. Scandinavian burials in a Christian perspective CCC-Paper 15–18 The second theme of this issue deals with the time of transition The Gotlandic farm – a history of 2000 years CCC-Paper 19–21 when the Viking Age meets the European Middle Ages and what this meeting brings forth. This is a time of great change that also Vasalles or seniores? The old nobility and new power structures in post- includes a new view of women - and men! conquest Estonia CCC-Paper 22–24 Viking Longboat Races 2001 – World For the new year, Viking Heritage intends to go on making Championships 25 interesting magazines that will keep you updated about what is Under the Hammer 26–27 happening in the Viking world, both 1000 years ago and today! For this we need your co-operation and contributions, so always feel Curriculum Vitae 28–29 free to contact us! Ask Us 30 New book 31–32 The editorial staff here at Viking Heritage wishes you all enjoyable About the artist Lou Harrison 32 reading! Marita E Ekman Heritage News Editor Heritage News 33–34 E-mail: [email protected] Recipes from Valhalla 35 “Wounded I hung on a wind-swept gallows For nine long nights, Pierced by a spear, pledged to Odin, Offered, myself to myself The wisest know not from whence spring The roots of that ancient rood … Runes you will find, and readable staves, Very strong staves, Very stout staves, Staves that Bolthor stained, Made by mighty powers, Graven by the prophetic god” From Hávamál Drawing by Lou Harrison: See page 32. (Words of “The High One”) About the front page Runestone from Litslena parish, Sweden. “Ingegerd had the stone erected in memory of Torlak, her good husband, and in memory of Jorund and Åbjörn. Balle cut the runes.” Photo Marit Åhlén, Runverket, The National Heritage Board. Miljömärkt med Svanen. Lic nr 341 487 http://viking.hgo.se 2 Viking Heritage Magazine 1/02 Glimpses of Viking-Age women in runic inscriptions By Marit Åhlén Sweden is famous for its rune stones, or Viking-Age memorials, most of them dated to the 11th century. Rune stones are not grave memorials. They were erected in remembrance of a dead relative near a road in the vicinity of the home farm, at an assembly place like a thing place or other places where many people passed. Rune stones are something of a Swedish speciality. About 3,000 carved rune stones are known; over 2,500 of them are from Sweden. As mentioned, most rune stones were erected in the 11th century. But by then a runic alphabet had been used for writing for a long time. The oldest runic script was created in the 1st or 2nd century AD, probably inspired by Latin capitals. This oldest runic alphabet had 24 signs. As far as we know, these runes were used mainly for short inscriptions on weapons and jewellery. This alphabet, called the Proto-Nordic, was used until the 9th century. As example of such an inscription I cite the text of a fibula from the 5th century. It was found in Gotland. The inscription is a “Åbjörn and Ingjald and Häming had the stone erected in memory of Björn, their father”. Bälinge parish. Photo Marit Åhlén, The National Heritage Board. The Proto-Nordic, also called the Primitive Norse, runic alphabet (from about the year 0 until the 9th century). craftsman’s signature: “Merila made me”. A Viking-Age alphabet with 16 signs replaced the old Proto-Nordic one. Of course the Viking-Age runic alphabet is used for inscriptions on rune stones cut th The Viking-Age runic alphabets in the 11 century. Runes are generally perceived as letters cut into stone, but in fact most runic inscriptions were carved on wooden sticks. The term rune carving refers to Runic alphabet used in the Middle Ages (from 1100 AD). signs carved into a soft material with a 3 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 1/02 sharp knife. Hardly any wood of such an up after him, active lads after their father. age remains, and thus most such carvings They raised the stones and worked the staff are lost forever. also, the mighty one, as marks of honour. Likewise Gyrid loved her husband. So in The rune stone texts mourning she will have it mentioned. The texts of the Viking-Age rune stones Gunnar cut the stone.” Ulf’s widow Gyrid are built up according to a formula. The mourns the loss of her husband. names of those who had the monument It is unusual that feelings are shown in raised and the name of the dead person runic texts. When feelings are expressed and their family relationship form the you find not sorrow but pride. East of main part. The majority of the rune Uppsala Stenhild raised a stone in stones were erected in memory of men. memory of Vidbjörn, her husband “a Their sons, brothers or father had the traveller to Greece”. She is eager to tell that stone raised. Sometimes a wife, daughter, Vidbjörn had taken part in an expedition sister or mother took part in the to a far country. commemorative act. As example of a Another Viking from Uppland who typical 11th century rune stone I give you went east was Ragnvald. He came back as the text of a stone north of Uppsala: an esteemed man. On a boulder he had “Åbjörn and Ingjald and Häming had the an inscription cut in memory of his stone erected in memory of Björn, their mother: “Ragnvald had the runes cut in father”. But, as I just mentioned, women memory of Fastvi, his mother, Onäm’s can be among those who had the daughter. She died in Ed. God help her monument raised. soul.” But Ragnvald had been commander of a troop of the famous band of Norse Women in the inscriptions soldiers, known as Varangians. Therefore “Ingegerd had the stone erected in memory he does not stop after having of Torlak, her good husband, and in “Stenhild had this stone erected in commemorated his mother. To show off memory of Jorund and Åbjörn. Balle cut memory of Vidbjörn, a traveller to he adds one more inscription to the the runes.” The widow Ingegerd put up a Greece, her husband. God and God’s boulder: “Ragnvald let the runes be cut. He mother help his soul. Åsmund Kåre’s rune stone east of Enköping in memory was in Greece, was leader of the host.” son carved.” Photo Marit Åhlén of her husband and two more men, In the Uppsala University Park there probably their sons. Between the lines are nine rune stones gathered from the you can read that she is now left all alone. on the western shore of Lake surrounding parishes. One of these rune If they had had more children they would Vallentunasjön i Uppland. Across the lake stones was erected by a mother in have been named together with Ingegerd. on the eastern side there are two more memory of her daughter. Both of them “Ulfkel and Gye and Une, they had this rune stones in memory of Ulf erected in a were obviously widows. “Gullög had the stone raised in memory of Ulf, their good Viking-Age thing place. From the text we bridge made for the spirit of Gillög, her father. He lived in Skålhamra. May God learn that even the construction of the daughter, and whom Ulf was married to. and God’s mother help his spirit and soul; thing place is part of the commemorative Öpir cut.” The building of a bridge is grant him light and paradise.” The rune act. “Ulfkel and Arnkel and Gye, they made frequently mentioned in runic texts. stone bearing this text in which three here a thing place. There shall no mightier Sometimes it is stated that the building sons commemorate their father Ulf stands memorials be found than those Ulf’s sons set was performed for the dead person’s soul. Thus building a bridge must have been a pious deed in the 11th century. In southern Uppsala there is a rune carving in a rock. “Sigvid, Gillög’s son, raised the runes in memory of Ragnelv, his mother-in-law.” Gillög was a pretty common name. There are some 20 examples from Viking-Age rune stones in Uppland. So there is no reason to assume that the two names Gillög refers to the same person. The reason why I chose to cite this inscription is the uncommon The bolder with two carvings in Ed’s parish.

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